Galcian's The Looper
by Hypes
Summary: On the night before Galcian's final battle aboard the Hydra, he's visited by an innocent Looper who eventually drives him mad in this parody of Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven. Read and Review


[[Galcian, Loopers, and all other Skies of Arcadia stuff is © Overworks/Sega. The Original Raven is © Edgar Allen Poe]]

Galcian's

The Looper 

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, proud and cheery,

Over many a map and statistics of enemy shores-

While I plotted, carefully planning, suddenly there came a tapping,

As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my stronghold door.

"It's a soldier," I muttered, "tapping at my stronghold door-

For what reason I'm not quite sure."

Yes, I remember, before Vyse I was to dismember,

And the Hydra's engines kept her aloft, located in her core.

Anxiously, I yearned for tomorrow, cautiously I borrowed

Battle books and plans for the morrow- books to keep Soltis for-

For the safety of that ultimate weapon Soltis, that's for-

                                                Confident it will work, I am sure

And my sword hung certain that is wide blade like a curtain

Thrilled me- filled me with fantastic terrors felt quite before;

So that now, to calm down the beating heart, I stood repeating

"It's a soldier entreating at my stronghold door-

Some urgent soldier entreating entrance at my stronghold door;

                                                                That he is, I'm terribly sure."

Making myself stronger; hesitating no longer

"Soldier" said I, "I am here man, I implore;

The truth is I was planning , and so you came tapping,

And so faintly you came rapping, rapping at my stronghold door,

And I didn't hear you well"-here I opened wide the door;-

                                                                Nothing there, It is to be sure

Long into that darkness peering, long I stood there, pondering, fearing,

Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before;

My meditation was not broken, the silence showed no token,

And the only words were a whispered suggestion "Tis the wind, nothing more."

This I murmured, and echo whispered back the word, "Nothing more!"-

                                                                                                Merely this, who can be sure.

Back into the chamber I was walking, my soul burning,

Then again, I heard a quaint knocking louder than before.

"My window," said I, "There must be sky sardis there.

I'll get my sword, scare the fish, and this puzzle explore-

Damn annoying fish, away from my window and go explore;-

                                                                "Tis the wind, that I am sure."

There I opened the gray shutter, when came a hover,

In flew in a Looper of pale and of pearl colour

Shy it was not, flew right in he; darting, springing around me,

But with those swirling eyes soon found a place, just above the stronghold door-

Perched upon a model of the Serpent, my flagship, above the stronghold door-

Quite comfortable he was, I'm sure.

Here the albino creature of interest caught me smiling,

By the simple and cute designs it brilliantly wore,

"What remarkable monster of stupor," I said. "You are no blooper,

Cute plain and dumb Looper wandering not far from Soltis' shore-

What is your name, monster who roams the nights from shore!"

                                                                Quote the Looper, "I'm not sure."

Interesting was he, to hear words spoken so plainly,

Though its answer had no meaning- little relevancy bore;

For we cannot help agreeing that no human being

Ever had opportunity with a Looper on his stronghold door-

Animal or monster upon a ship on his stronghold door,

                                                With such a name as "I'm Not Sure."

But the Looper, perched lonely on the Serpent, spoke only

Those three words, as if his life depended on his orator.

He hadn't bother to speak farther, nor did he move his loop harder-

Till I muttered: "Remirez is the only man for the job, other admirals have flown before-

On the morrow he will leave as my admirals and Alfonso have flown before."

Then the creature said, "I'm not sure."

Startled by its words, I gave a smirk to its reply spoken,

"It's doubtless," said I "What is says is the only word in his store,

Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster

Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore-

If that man wants to survive my Rains of Destruction, 

His answer had best not be 'I'm not sure'."

But the Looper kept my pondering battle soul smiling,

So I brought my chair to in front of monster and ship and door;

Then, upon the Velvet sinking, I betook myself to thinking

That this Looper, common creature of the world of yore-

What this pale, white, albino, diminutive, and weak monster of yore

                                                                Meant in chirping "I'm not sure."

This I engaged in thoughtful guessing, no results bothered expressing

To the beast whose swirling eyes looked through my very core;

Sitting, I did start thoughtful mining, with my head now reclining

On the seats cushion lining that the lamplight shone over

But whose cushion lining will this be when the battle is over.

I'm afraid to say I'm not sure.

Then, I thought, the air grew denser, perfumed with unseen censer

Swung by Silvite from Deep Sky who invisibly touches the Hydras floor.

"Aha!" I cried, "The moons have sent thee- by its stones they have sent thee!

To assure and guarantee my victory for tomorrows war!

Yes, to bring a sign of absolute victory over Vyse and the Blue Rogues in the war!"

                                                                                Quote the Looper, "I'm not sure."

"Prophet!" Said I, "thing of evil! –prophet still if beast or devil!-

Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here aboard,

Desolate, yet populated, in this steel battle island fated-

On this ship by horror stricken,- tell me truly, I implore-

Do the- Do the dead really reside in Deep Sky? – tell me, I implore!"

                                                                Quote the Looper, "I'm not sure."

"Prophet!" Said I, "thing of evil! –prophet still if beast or devil!

By the heavens that bend high above us –by the moons we both adore-

Tell this soul with anxious ingested if, within the immediate destined

It shall grasp the radiant and superb victory in the morrow's war-

Grasp a supreme, lovely, and decisive victory in the morrow's war."

                                                                Quote the Looper "I'm not sure."

"Your reply is your undoing, beast or fiend!" I shrieked, upstarting-

"Go back to the entrance of the tempest and back to Deep Sky's shore!

Leave no trace or smudge as a token of the lie you have spoken!

Leave my planning unbroken! –Get of the Serpent on the door!

Take your self from my room and take your pitiful form from off my door!"

Quote the Looper, "I'm not sure."

And the Looper, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting

On the scale model of the Serpent just above my stronghold door;

And his swirling eyes are like Ice, as I leave to fight Vyse,

And the lamp light still on is streaming his shadow across the iron floor;

And ruined my victory, and left it in his shadow on the floor.

                                                                                Will I win? I'm not sure.


End file.
